The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-08-11
"The Fray with the Bear"

had not been printed and but two or
three copies had got out in the village,
when Mrs, VIM, Yearly broughtin a
copy of 'rhe fray with bear for
which the SITTER had called. Since
then we have found the same printed
in history of Chesterfield, n. IL,
under the head of Stephen Streeter,
Jr. the author, known as the "Bard
of Streeter HILL" On Monday Mr..
Randall Harrington of Windham
gave us a call and related some of the
circumstances attending the STRAY"
with this "hog- thorny bear" Mr..
Harrington, then boy, resided on
Turkey mountain and he thinks this
occurred about the year 1920, or some
GO or 65 years ago. Sam Esta brooks
and Tabor Coombs, (the latter is re-
membered by many of our citizens as
he formerly resided in this village
owning the White place that still re-
mains in the Coombs family, were
neighbors living on Turkey mountain
in Jamaica. The two had been chop
ping on Bald mountain and when re-
turning through the woods in the dusk
of the evening were frightened by a
supposed bear which their dog had
freed. After much consultation they
decided, without any means of de-
Tense save in their dog and their axes,
to tackle his majesty of the forest
and capture him, if possible. They
at once proceeded to cut down the
tree and the dog, bowling with pain,
soon told the story of his bearship's
being a hedgehog. The matter was
kept quiet until Estabrook's son,
Alex got mad at his father and re-
vealed it. Mr.. Harrington did not
know the authorship of the poem, but
upon being told said there was, in that
day, considerable running back and
forth from Chesterfield. An exami.
nation of the aforementioned history
of Chesterfield reveals the whole mat.
ter, to our satisfaction, at least
Estabrooks originally came from
Chesterfield and married a sister Of
Stephen Streeter, jr., "The bard O
Streeter HILL" to whom the facts wer,
communicated by Alex and by hin
the ballad was brought to Windham
Jamaica, and this town, where it be
came immensely popular and wa
suug by old and young. Streete
died in 1864, Esterbrooks in 1851
and Coombs in
Hundreds of readers will thank tn
SITTER for reproducing this old ballad
as it will recall many pleasing recolec
tons of eye early times" Here fol
lows the original as it has been hand
ed down:
"THE FRAY WITH A BEAR"
81 call the attention of each merry blade;
Be still as mouse, let nothing be said
I'll sing you song t will please you to hear,
How lately, two men had fray with bear.
CHoRUsrepeated after each stanza): To my f,
de lol Ii, tol lu tut arido, etc.
There was one honest Tabor and Sam EST
brooks
Though not very handsome yet quite clevt
folks
Lived on Turkey mountain, q think it was there
They had terrible fray with bear.
One day as they were returning from work
II was through the thick forest so dreary an
One said to the other, I'm not without fear
That, ere we reach home, we shall meet with
I bear
While apprehensions and fears were afresh,
| They heard a loud trampling noise in the brusl
The dog he did bark, and erect stood his hair
And both cried at once, Behold, there's bear
! on then said honest Samuel, what must
done?
, We have no ammunition, nor have we gun!
= In sacred devotion Wen both go to prayer,
And the good Lord will save us from this helli
bear!,
'Oh,' then replied Tabor so bold and so stout,
Tve travelled these forests all round and about
=, l never abandon myself to despair,
Nor shall it be said I've run for bear
At last they determined their vaor to try,
The foe to encounter, and conquer or die;
Then with their sharp axes they boldly DIRE
near,
To perish like men, or vanquish the bear.
7 Though bears are much given to slaughter al
: 'pelf,'
v Yet, seeing two rivals look worse than himself
He sprang to a hemlock, and at them did stare
Then with great dexterity up went the bear!
(. Then straightway to chopping our heroes tn
went;
: To cut down the hemlock, it was their intent
Y 1t bowed its tall head that long waved in the a
g And then tumbled down, and the dog caught t
bear.
a The dog from the battle did flee with defeat
The bearin the forest secured retreat;
: Then home with their dog these two heroes d
# steer,
To pluck out the pulls Of the hog-thorny- bear"
WINHALL HOLLOW.
Mr.. Joshua Barnard continues
improve slowly. Mr.. Barnard HI